This invention relates to a new and improved safety device for indicating the presence of a bicyclist to a passing motorist, and in particular, to a safety device that is attachable to the frame of a bicycle which includes a parallel support member that extends parallel beside the bicycle frame and attaches to a horizontal member outwardly extending from the side of the bicycle, and said horizontal member may be shaped into two or more arrows to create an illusion of a moving arrow, and said horizontal member being continuously reflectorized the full length of said horizontal member to eliminate blind, non-reflectorized portions of the horizontal member, between the bicycle frame and the outter extending end of said horizontal indicating member which is important because the motorist can better determine the exact location of the bicycle at night or on dark days. This is important in preventing an accident. And when the parallel support member and the horizontal indicating member are connected to each other to form the bicycle distance safety device, said safety device protects the bicyclist from all four directions.
While other safety devices have been invented for indicating the presence and distance from the bicycle that should be maintained when passing a bicycle, they are deficient in performing their intended purpose effectively, for example, one method of indicating the presence and distance to pass a bicycle is by placing a flag on one end of a flag pole and attach the other end of said pole to the bicycle frame; this is deficient because it leaves a blind, non-reflectorized portion of said pole between the bicycle frame and the flag on the end of said pole, and the cyclist must also stop the bicycle to change the position of said pole, this is dangerous because the motorist can easily miss recognize on which side of the bicycle said pole is located. And stopping to change positions of said pole can cause an accident, because the bicyclist may make a stop in front of a non-suspecting speeding motorist and cause an accident. Therefore, one of the objects of the present new and improved invention is to eliminate said dangers by providing a horizontal indicating member that extends outwardly from the side of the bicycle a predetermined and safe distance pass the handlebar of the bicycle, and said member is shaped into two arrows and continuously reflectorized on both sides of same member immediately beside the bicycle frame and continuing the full length of said horizontal member. The specific constructional details also constitute an object of this invention.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved safety device over my original Bicycle Distance Safety Device U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,336 by providing the following improvements:
(1) A safety device that comprises smaller and fewer parts for light weight and easy carrying.
(2) A safety device that comprises a horizontal indicating member that is immediately accessible to the reach of the bicyclist hand, and may be flipped to either side of the bicycle frame without stopping the bicycle.
(3) A horizontal indicating member that is shaped into two arrows and reflectorized continuously the full length of said member, to create an illusion of a moving arrow and to eliminate blind non-reflectorized area between the bicycle's frame and the end of said member so that a motorist can better recognize the exact location of the bicycle and prevent an accident.
(4) A safety device that can be seen more clearly on dark days and at night.
(5) A safety device that provides the bicyclist with protection from all four directions, namely, north, south, east and west.
(6) A parallel support member that comprises reflector means on both sides and in front and a horizontally indicating member that is reflectorized on both front and back sides of same member and when both of said member are connected to form the bicycle distance safety device, the safety device protects the bicyclist from four directions.
The above named improvements will become better understood by studying the accompanying drawings and other data that will follow.